The present invention relates to a holding device for workpieces and the like, and in particular to a holding, distancing and fixing device for such workpieces.
There are many instances where it is desirable or necessary to clamp workpieces, which may be in form of a single article that must be subjected to such clamping action or even of two or more articles which must be pressed together. In other instances it is necessary that two or more articles be held and be firmly maintained at a fixed spacing from one another, for instance while they are being subjected to processing of some type. Such articles may be parts of machines or apparatuses, they may be cables, tubes, pipes or the like, or in fact any type of article that can require holding or clamping.
Naturally, the prior art known various types of clamping devices for this purpose. The difficulty with the prior-art arrangement is that they can be used only for one of these various functions, and can either not be adapted to all to perform any of the other functions, or can be adapted only with difficulty by using additional components or by being structurally modified. Thus, it is known to provide clamping devices which can only clamp, but cannot maintain distancing between workpieces, and conversely it is known to provide clamping devices which can provide for distancing but not for clamping therof.
This is, of course, disadvantageous for various reasons, including the fact that the modification of these devices to perform a different function, if it is at all possible, is difficult and time consuming. Moreover, the known devices are heavy and relatively expensive to produce. The reason why it is difficult if at all possible to adjust them from one function to another is because the instrumentality which causes the movement of the actual workpiece-engaging portions is mounted on these portions themselves.
The prior-art devices have additional disadvantages with which these conversant with the field are acquainted. One of these is the fact that it is either impossible to adjust them to act upon workpieces of different dimensions, or else that this can be carried out only with great difficulty. Evidently, this drastically limits the versitility of these devices.